Parents: Huayna Cápac, emperor of the Inca, and Ñusta Pacha
House: Hanan Cuzco
Spouse(s): Asarpay
Predecessor: Huayna Capac
Reign: 1532 – 1533
Summary: Born in Quito, little is known about the childhood of Atahualpa. By the time of the Spanish conquest, he was a military leader conquering much of the outlying regions of the Inca Empire. In 1532, he captured his brother, Huáscar, and had most of his family executed. A few months later, at the Battle of Quipaipan, Atahualpa decisively defeated the remaining rival army and then marched on Cuzco. On his way to the capital city, his 80,000 troops ran across a Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro. Thus, while Atahualpa was now the ruler of the Inca people, he never truly was able to take his throne.
Pizarro had landed over a year earlier and had been marching toward the Empire ever since. He only had 180 men and 37 horses but he exploited the civil war between the brothers to begin conquering other portions of the Empire. Atahualpa, not fearing such a small force of Spaniards, allowed the company to pass unmolested up dangerous and easily-defended terrain to have an audience with him. In the town of Cajamarca, Pizarro successfully captured the Incan Emperor after killing all of his litter bearers. Atahualpa attempted to ransom himself by offering Pizarro an entire room filled with gold, silver, and jewels, to ensure the emperor's safety. When an Incan general, Rumiñahui, continued to threaten an attack on the Spanish encampment, Pizarro decided that holding onto the Incan emperor was too much of a liability. Atahualpa was executed by the Spanish after a scam trial, and accepted the Catholic faith to avoid execution by burning. His brother, Túpac Huallpa, succeeded him but was a puppet emperor of the Spaniards.
Date of Death: 29 August 1533Pizarro had landed over a year earlier and had been marching toward the Empire ever since. He only had 180 men and 37 horses but he exploited the civil war between the brothers to begin conquering other portions of the Empire. Atahualpa, not fearing such a small force of Spaniards, allowed the company to pass unmolested up dangerous and easily-defended terrain to have an audience with him. In the town of Cajamarca, Pizarro successfully captured the Incan Emperor after killing all of his litter bearers. Atahualpa attempted to ransom himself by offering Pizarro an entire room filled with gold, silver, and jewels, to ensure the emperor's safety. When an Incan general, Rumiñahui, continued to threaten an attack on the Spanish encampment, Pizarro decided that holding onto the Incan emperor was too much of a liability. Atahualpa was executed by the Spanish after a scam trial, and accepted the Catholic faith to avoid execution by burning. His brother, Túpac Huallpa, succeeded him but was a puppet emperor of the Spaniards.
Successor: Túpac Huallpa
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